BBC Issues Formal Apology Over BAFTA Awards Broadcast Incident
The BBC has issued a formal apology to its staff following the failure to edit a racial slur from Sunday's BAFTA film awards telecast. Chief content officer Kate Phillips expressed deep regret in a note sent on Tuesday, stating she was "so sorry that a racial slur was not edited out of our broadcast" and acknowledging the distress caused.
Incident Details and Immediate Fallout
During the ceremony at London's Royal Festival Hall, Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson was heard shouting the N-word as actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the special visual effects award. Phillips noted that while host Alan Cumming addressed the possibility of involuntary verbal tics during the broadcast, this did not "lessen the impact and upset".
The BBC removed the original broadcast from its iPlayer platform around midday on Monday as backlash mounted. Phillips explained that the edit team had removed another racial slur, but this one was aired in error, and the corporation would never have knowingly allowed this to be broadcast.
BAFTA Announces Comprehensive Review
In response to the incident, BAFTA executives Sara Putt and Jane Millichip announced a comprehensive review in a letter to members on Tuesday. They acknowledged the harm caused and apologized unreservedly to Lindo and Jordan. The letter stated, "We recognise this has impacted members in a multitude of ways. We want to acknowledge the harm this has caused, address what happened and apologise to all."
Warner Bros, the studio behind Sinners, revealed it had immediately flagged concerns with BAFTA during the ceremony and was assured the request would be passed to the BBC for removal of the slur.
Political and Industry Reactions
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from political figures and industry professionals. Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch described the BBC's error as a "horrible mistake", while Labour MP Dawn Butler accused the broadcaster of "an obvious bias" and a "failure of duty of care". Butler called the broadcast "painful and unforgivable" and has requested an urgent explanation from outgoing director general Tim Davie.
Film-maker Jonte Richardson announced his resignation as a BAFTA judge, labeling the handling of the events "utterly unforgivable". He urged BAFTA leadership to comprehend the damage caused and ensure future production staff are inclusive enough to prevent such issues.
Additional Apology from Google
In a related development, Google has apologized for an AI-generated prompt accompanying a link to an article about the incident, which invited users to "See more on" the N-word. A Google spokesperson stated the company was "deeply sorry for this mistake" and is working to prevent recurrence.
The BBC and BAFTA continue to face scrutiny as they navigate the fallout from this highly sensitive broadcast error, with both organizations emphasizing their commitment to accountability and review processes.
